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Threes To See 7-13 May: Longish Runs Starting This Week, Shorter Runs Starting This Week, One Night Stands

By | Published on Friday 3 May 2019

THREE LONGISH RUNS STARTING THIS WEEK

Dido | Unicorn Theatre | 11 May-2 Jun (pictured)
This sounds ace and I am so keen to see it, a new production of Purcell’s classic, created by Unicorn Theatre and English National opera, for teenagers and adults. It sounds like they’ve given it a contemporary twist and I am all ears: “Belinda is the only child of Dido. A teenager like any other, in any big city. We watch through her eyes as her mother – heroine, feminist icon, modern parent – slowly starts to fall apart, with tragic consequences.” Head this way to the venue website for more info and to book.

The Last Temptation Of Boris Johnson | Park Theatre | 9 May-8 Jun
Remember last week when I said I’d had enough of Boris Johnson, but that I’d make an exception for that Boris based show we were recommending? Well, I thought that might be the end of it, but no. Here’s more Boris Johnson themed theatre for me to feel conflicted about. Not that conflicted though: this sounds like a great comedy drama from Jonathan Maitland, who explores a possible future in which Johnson is back in the political wilderness nursing ambitions to “make Britain great again”. Click here for details.

Peaches Christ’s Drag Becomes Her Tour | Soho Theatre and Leicester Square Theatre | 13 May-1 Jun
Rather enjoyed the film ‘Death Becomes Her’ when I saw it, oh, I don’t know, far too many years ago to mention, so that may have been the reason that this show, starring Peaches Christ, Jinkx Monsoon, BenDeLaCreme and Major Scales, jumped out at me. “Witness the deliciously dark showbiz satire, with the queens in the roles they were born to play: undead Beverly Hills rivals Madeleine Ashton and Helen Sharp, originally made famous by Oscar-winning leading ladies Goldie Hawn and Meryl Streep.” Oh, go on then. Click here.


THREE SHORTER RUNS STARTING THIS WEEK

Feast From The East | Tristan Bates Theatre | 7-18 May
East Anglia’s INK Festival presents this collection of eight short plays for your delectation, and if you know anything about us, you’ll know just how pleasing we think that is. You’ll probably also recognise at least some of the names of the writers, who are as follows: Richard Curtis, Jackie Carreira, Ed Jones, Martha Loader, Shaun Kitchener, Shappi Khorsandi, Scarlett Curtis, James McDermott and Christopher Reason. For more information and to book, head right this way.

Rejoicing At Her Wondrous Vulva The Young Woman Applauded Herself | Ovalhouse | 9-25 May
“Join us on an epic journey of self-discovery through pleasure, shame, pride, fury and jubilation as we struggle to break free of the deeply internalised male gaze and unleash our glorious, feral appetites. Featuring unabashedly intimate stories, comic dialogues between Brain and Clitoris, and when words start to feel like a cage, dance.” The talented Bella Heesom – you will remember her from ‘My World Has Exploded A Little Bit’ – with her vulva focused follow up. Info here.

Die! Die! Die! Old People Die! | Battersea Arts Centre | 8-25 May (pictured)
“Meet two characters, blessed with eternal life but denied eternal youth. As they stumble through their bizarre existence, neither fully alive nor fully dead, they attempt to reclaim the right to a good death as they try to remember how to grieve.” The excellent and very much veteran Ridiculusmus return with a dark comedy about love and ageing with – let’s face it – a fairly provocative title. For all the details, head to the venue website here.


THREE ONE NIGHT STANDS

What You Risk | Bunker Theatre | 13 May
“There are horses up ahead, police in a row, helmets pulled low, I cannot see their eyes. I turn to look behind me, there is no street any more, just bodies, closing in together, protecting what is ours, what is us.” A rather pertinent sounding play set in London in 1936 and 1980 that explores the threat of the far right and the plight of refugees and immigrants. See the venue website here for all the info.

Bitesize Chekhov | The Playground Theatre | 9 May
Aw, I love Chekhov’s short plays so any time anyone stages them they kinda automatically make it into my tips list. This show offers a selection of three of them, one of which I performed a role in once upon a time. If you’ve only ever seen productions of Chekhov’s longer works, do make time for these, you might find them revelatory. Those of you who know about them, the three being performed here are ‘The Dangers Of Tobacco’, ‘The Proposal’ and ‘Swan Song’. Details here.

Crick Crack Club: The Big Blind – A Fairytale For Grown-Ups | Soho Theatre | 13 May
“A boy stands on a lake shore. Behind him is all he’s ever known. Ahead is a chance for love but a much higher chance of death. He’s had a happy life and a sheltered one. But his father has gambled away everything and the debt cannot be paid in money…” Dominic Kelly, Bridget Marsden and Leif Ottosson, weave together versions of an ancient fairytale from Norway, Scotland, Ireland and India. Quick, get your tickets, they are going fast. Click here.



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